Blind with semitransparent sheets of drapery material

ABSTRACT

A blind includes a structural assembly including a head rail, a bottom stiffener strip, horizontal slats suspended between the head rail and the stiffener strip, and two spaced lines started from the stiffener strip, passed the slats, and terminated at the head rail such that manipulating the lines will raise or lower the slats; a drapery assembly including front and back semitransparent sheets of drapery material and horizontal stiffener members spaced on the sheets of drapery material; and vertically spaced positioning assemblies. Any two adjacent positioning assemblies are adapted to dispose at least one of the slats therebetween. The positioning assemblies are adapted to releasably secure to the stiffener members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to blinds and more particularly to a Venetian blind having front and back sheets of drapery material formed of semitransparent material.

2. Related Art

It is typical to mount a curtain or blind on a window. A popular type of blind is Venetian blind which has a plurality of horizontal slats that can be set together at any angle to regulate the light passing through or drawn up together to the top of the window by means of cords.

It is also understood that furniture or the like placed in a home may be adversely affected by direct sunlight. Thus, it is desirable to mount an opaque or semitransparent sheet of drapery material on a window for keeping out light if such need arises. Moreover, most slats are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and they are typically monochromic (i.e., dull). Hence, a need has arisen for an improved blind (e.g., Venetian blind).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a blind comprising a structural assembly including a head rail, a bottom stiffener strip, a plurality of horizontal slats equally spaced, suspended between the head rail and the stiffener strip, and a couple of lines wherein one line starts from one side of the stiffener strip, passes one sides of the slats, and terminates at one side the head rail, and the other line starts from the other side of the stiffener strip, passes the other sides of the slats, and terminates at the other side of the head rail such that manipulating the lines will raise or lower the slats; a semitransparent drapery assembly including a front semitransparent sheet of drapery material, a back semitransparent sheet of drapery material, and a plurality of horizontal stiffener members spaced on the front and back semitransparent sheets of drapery material; and a plurality of vertically spaced positioning assemblies wherein any two adjacent positioning assemblies are adapted to dispose at least one of the slats therebetween; wherein the positioning assemblies are adapted to releasably secure to the stiffener members.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of blind with semitransparent sheets of drapery material according to the invention where the blind is fully extended;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the blind;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the slats and the positioning assembly in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the positioning assembly;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the blind in its fully raised position by drawing up together the slats and the semitransparent sheets of drapery material;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of blind with semitransparent sheets of drapery material according to the invention; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views showing second and third preferred configurations of the positioning assembly respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a blind (e.g., Venetian blind as shown) in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a structural assembly 10, a semitransparent drapery assembly 20, and a plurality of positioning assemblies 30. Each component is discussed in detailed below.

The structural assembly 10 comprises a hollow head rail 11, a bottom stiffener strip 12, a plurality of horizontal slats 14 equally spaced, suspended between the head rail 11 and the stiffener strip 12, and a couple of lines 15 in which one line 15 starts from one side of the stiffener strip 12, passes one sides of the slats 14, and terminates at one side the head rail 11, and the other line 15 starts from the other side of the stiffener strip 12, passes the other sides of the slats 14, and terminates at the other side of the head rail 11 such that manipulating the lines 15 will raise or lower the slats 14.

The semitransparent drapery assembly 20 comprises a front semitransparent sheet of drapery material 21, a back semitransparent sheet of drapery material 22, and a plurality of horizontal stiffener members 23 equally spaced on the front and back semitransparent sheets of drapery material 21 and 22 so as to divide the front semitransparent sheet of drapery material 21 into a plurality of elongate first sections 26 and divide the back semitransparent sheet of drapery material 22 into a plurality of elongate second sections 27 respectively. The semitransparent material is yarn or the like. The stiffener member 23 comprises a bar 25 and an enclosure 24 of circular section with the bar 25 received therein and fastened by sewing the enclosure 24 to either one of the front and back semitransparent sheets of drapery material 21 and 22. Also, the back semitransparent sheet of drapery material 22 is releasably secured to the back of the head rail 11 by Velcro type fastener as detailed later.

The positioning assemblies 30 are spaced with a number of slats 14 disposed between any two adjacent positioning assemblies 30. The elongate positioning assembly 30 comprises two members 33 of C section at front and back ends, the member 33 including a groove 34 and a gap 35 both extended from one side 36 to the other side 37, and a plate 31 of slightly arcuate section interconnected the members 33 and including two spaced openings 32 each adapted to permit the line 15 to pass. Also, there are two spaced corresponding openings formed on the slat 14. As such, one end 15 a of the line 15 is adapted to fasten at the stiffener strip 12 and the other end 15 b of the line 15 is adapted to fasten at the head rail 11 after passing the openings 32. The stiffener member 23 is adapted to insert into the groove 34 either by passing from one side 36 to the other side 37 or by forcedly passing the gap 35.

The structural assembly 10 further comprises a rectangular valance 16. A first strip 41 of tiny hooks is provided on an upper edge of either front surface or back surface of the head rail 11, a second strip 42 of an adhesive pile is provided on an upper edge of back surface of the valance 16, and a second strip 42 of an adhesive pile is provided on an upper edge of front surface of the topmost second section 27 of the back semitransparent sheet of drapery material 22. For securing the back semitransparent sheet of drapery material 22 to the back of the head rail 11, it is possible pressing the second strip 42 on the topmost second section 27 onto the back first strip 41. Similarly, for securing the valance 16 to the front of the head rail 11, it is possible pressing the second strip 42 on the back of the valance 16 onto the front first strip 41. In the fastened state, exposed components on an upper portion of the window are hidden by the valance 16. It is known in the art that pulling apart the first and second strips 41 and 42 will unfasten two thus secured components.

A person may pull either branch of the other end 15 b of the line 15 to raise or lower the slats 14 together with the front and back semitransparent sheets of drapery material 21 and 22. As shown in FIG. 5, the blind is fully raised by drawing up together the slats 14 and the sheets of drapery material 21 and 22. Also, a plurality of folds are formed by the sections 26 and 27. This is aesthetic. Further, sunlight may be incident into a room after being partially kept out by the semitransparent drapery assembly 20. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 1, the blind is fully lowered.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a second preferred configuration of the positioning assembly 50 is shown. The characteristics of the second preferred configuration of the positioning assembly 50 are detailed below. The positioning assemblies 50 are grouped as two groups (e.g., left and right groups). Each group comprises a plurality of pairs of positioning assemblies 50. The elongate positioning assembly 50 comprises a member 51 of C section including a groove 52 and a gap 54 both extended from one side 55 to the other side 56, and an extension 53 integrally formed with one side 14 a or the other side 14 b of the slat 14. In installation, the stiffener member 23 is adapted to insert through one groove 52 of the positioning assembly 50 by passing from one side 55 to the other side 56 thereof and the groove 52 of the other positioning assembly 50 at the same level and the same end by passing from one side 55 to the other side 56 thereof. Alternatively, the stiffener member 23 is adapted to forcedly pass the gaps 54 of the positioning assemblies 50 at the same level and the same end to securely receive in the grooves 52.

Referring to FIG. 8, a third preferred configuration of the positioning assembly 60 is shown. The characteristics of the third preferred configuration of the positioning assembly 60 are detailed below. The positioning assembly 60 is simply two positioning assemblies 50 integrally formed together in which the positioning assemblies 50 are at the same group and the same level but at two opposite ends of the slat 14. The elongate positioning assembly 60 comprises a member 62 of C section including a groove 63, and a plate 61 interconnected the members 62 of C section. The plate 61 is integrally formed with bottom of one side 14 a or the other side 14 b of the slat 14.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims. 

1. A blind comprising: a structural assembly including a head rail, a bottom stiffener strip, a plurality of horizontal slats equally spaced, suspended between the head rail and the stiffener strip, and a couple of lines wherein one line starts from one side of the stiffener strip, passes one sides of the slats, and terminates at one side the head rail, and the other line starts from the other side of the stiffener strip, passes the other sides of the slats, and terminates at the other side of the head rail such that manipulating the lines will raise or lower the slats; a semitransparent drapery assembly including a front semitransparent sheet of drapery material, a back semitransparent sheet of drapery material, and a plurality of horizontal stiffener members spaced on the front and back semitransparent sheets of drapery material; and a plurality of vertically spaced positioning assemblies wherein any two adjacent positioning assemblies are adapted to dispose at least one of the slats therebetween; wherein the positioning assemblies are adapted to releasably secure to the stiffener members.
 2. The blind of claim 1, wherein the positioning assembly includes two elongate members of C section at front and back ends, the C-shaped member including a groove adapted to securely receive the stiffener member, and a plate interconnected the C-shaped members.
 3. The blind of claim 2, wherein the plate includes two openings each adapted to permit the line to pass.
 4. The blind of claim 1, wherein the positioning assembly includes an elongate member of C section at one end and including a groove adapted to securely receive the stiffener member, and an extension integrally formed with either side of the slat.
 5. The blind of claim 1, wherein the stiffener member includes a bar and an enclosure for receiving the bar.
 6. The blind of claim 5, wherein the enclosure is secured to either one of the front and back semitransparent sheets of drapery material by sewing.
 7. The blind of claim 1, wherein the positioning assembly includes two elongate members of C section at front and back ends, the C-shaped member including a groove adapted to securely receive the stiffener member, and a plate interconnected the C-shaped members and integrally formed with a bottom of either side of the slat.
 8. The blind of claim 1, wherein the back semitransparent sheet of drapery material is adapted to releasably secure to a back of the head rail.
 9. The blind of claim 1, wherein the structural assembly further comprises a valance adapted to releasably secure to a front of the head rail.
 10. The blind of claim 8, further comprising a Velcro type fastener adapted to releasably secure the back semitransparent sheet of drapery material to the back of the head rail.
 11. The blind of claim 9, further comprising a Velcro type fastener adapted to releasably secure the valance to the front of the head rail.
 12. The blind of claim 2, wherein the stiffener member is laterally inserted into the groove.
 13. The blind of claim 4, wherein the stiffener member is laterally inserted into the groove.
 14. The blind of claim 7, wherein the stiffener member is laterally inserted into the groove. 